Power-generating device



sept. 14 192e. 1',6oo,1o5

J. FONKIEWICZ POWER GENERATING DEVICE original Filed July 12, 1923 5 sheets-sheet 1 PatentedV Sept. 14, i926.

UNITED. Asiiigrgeps 1,600,105, vPaiiiNT; OFFICE."

JOSEPH FONKIEWICZ, OF ASNIERES, FRANCE.

POWER-GENERATIN G DEVICE.

Application filed July 12, 1923, Serial No; 651,062. Renewed May 6, 1926.

This invention relates kto new `and useful improvements in power generators of the air pro ielled turbine type.

well established principle of the upward draft of heated air through a hot stack, for the purpose of generating power.

A further obfect of the invention is to provide a novel form of turbine wheel and shaft with suitable anti-friction supporting means` for the same;

A still further objectv of the invention is to provide suitable means for relieving the weight of the turbine wheel and shaft from their supportingmeans when repairs tothe latter are necessary. u

.Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe cours of the following description. l

In the accompanying` drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same. p

Figure 41 is a central vertical sectional view of the lower portion of astack with a series of turbine wheels, shown in side elevation, positioned therewithin,

Figure '2 is a, horizontal4 rsectior'ialfview taken on line Ifl-II of Fig. 1,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken through a portion of the stack shown in Figs. 1 and 2.an d shows in detail the supporting means employed for thevertical Shaft sections, sh'ownfinv elevation, and the turbine wheels with suitable means for removing the 'weight of the .shaft sections and turbine. wheels from the supporting means just referred to,

Figure 4' is a horizontal sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3,

Figure 5 is a partly elevational view and partly sectional view of the lower portion of the vertical shaft and the train'ofgears employed for transmitting the rotary movement of the vertical shaft to the horizont-al shaft positioned therebelow, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is .shown a vertical stack designated by the numeralV 5 which is adapted for being consti'ucted from any suitable material or elements, such as concrete, cement blocks, or

bricks. -The'lower endV 6 of this stack is lsupportingy the vertical shaft 12.

flared as shown in Fig.` 1 and is adaptedforv e being embedded a suitable distance into the earth. The bore 7 of this stack commu' An important object of this invention isk to provide means for making use of the old,

nicates at its lower'end with radially extending tunnels 8 which are curved upward` ly at 4their outer ends 9 for the purpose of terminating in enlarged openings 10 formed -in the ground, as shown. `block 11 may be provided aroundthe base of the stack 5 for the purpose of providing amore solid walker platform around the. sam-e and -for aiding in preventing any possible caviiig in of the upper walls or ceilings of the tunnels 8. i

yivefiicaiiy positioned Within the boi-'eier the stack 5 is a shaft 1,2 which is adapted for having mounted thereon a series, of inverted eup-shaped turbine wheels 13 as shown.` EX- tending transversely across the bore 7 and embedded at'their opposite ends within;v the construction 'of the stack '5- are a series of brace bars 14e that are provided for suitably These brace' bars 1 4 are .also to .be employed as skeleton working platforms v for makingrepairs to the vanti-friction supporting means` employed as-mountings for the vertiealshaft l2 and forV properly lubricating or cleaning.

the various elements constituting the device. T1 r n v n e or the purpose or gaining access to these various elements mounted within the bore 7,

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the stack 5 is provided with a series of transi verse passages 15 having hingedly mounted doors 16 which are provided for .closing the lopposite ends of the said passages 15.y Se-.

cured to the outer face of the stack 5 is a person to reach the various 'elevations at which the passagesl are located.

It is lintended that suitable means be. em-

ployed for heating. the air within the lowerV portion of the bore 7 thereby causing the 'heated air to rise upwardly through the stack 5 for the purpose of causing rotary movementof the turbine wheels 13. AAny desired form of heater may be employed and properly located to accomplish this purpose.4 This heating means does not formv a specific feature of the invention and is, therefore, not illustrated, or described. 'For the purpose of directing thedraft of heated air axially outwardly, a eonically-shaped deflector 18 is secured to the shaft 12, as shown in Fig. 1.-

Each turbine wheel 13' is provided with a continuous spirally extending blade `19 which is formed upon the outerface of the FTI inverted cup-shaped-wheel. It will be seen that a more direct application of this upwardly moving draft or current of air will be guided against the spirally Y arranged blades 19 by positioning the coiiically-sliaped element 13 thereb-elow. For the purpos controlling the speed of the shaft l2 oi or entirely stopping itslinoif'ement, vv'lren so desired, suitable .valves or doors may be provided for regulating the' inward flow of air through the Vopenings l() which s'upplyaii' of atmospheric temperature to the tunnels 8 Referring particularly to Figs. l and there are shown mounting blocks 20, A2l and 22,- the vend blocks 2O and 22 being spaced from the ends of the central block 2l. rllhis central block 2l is provided for supporting the lower endof thervertical shaft l2and is suitably connected thereto by means of thev i with laterally extending flanges 4l thatV are element Y23 lwhich is intended to be of su table construction for providing an anti-friction Vsupport for the lower end of the sail shaft 12. The specific construction of this supportingfelement 23is not shown as any suitable mechanism may be employed and is not intended toformainaterial part of the invention.` VExtending through 'transverse openings or bores and formed in' the'blocls 2l and 22 respectively is a horizontal driven shaft 26 that is supported at one end by the journal bearing 27 and eX- tending into aV recess portion 28 of the end block 2O while the remaining end block 22 is provided witha journal bearing 29 for Afurther supportingthe said horizontal drivenshaft 26. It is tobe understood that -the blocks 20, 2l and 22 may be formed froi'n a suitable plastic'material, such as concrete, and that the journal bearings 27 and 29 are formed from metal and attached to the blocks 20 andr 22 inr any desired manner. rlhe recess 28 which receives one end of the vshaft 26 is formed of a metallic insert 3() which is mounted in the end block 20. Metallic bracket members 3l are mounted in the blocks 2l and 22 for the purpose of supporting'vertical stub shafts 32 as shown.

For the purposeY of transmitting the rotary movement of the vertical shaft l2 to the horizontal shaft 26, a plane gear is keyed to the shaft l2 and is constantly in mesh with a pair 'of compoundA pinion and bevel gears which'are arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the Agea-r 33.

Y Secured to the horizontal driven shaft '2G and occupying the spaces provided between the various blocks 2O lto 22 inclusive are a pair of beveled gea 1s 35 which `are constantly in mesh with the bevelportion .of Vthe compound gears 34.

Refer ing rparticularly to Fig. `3, it will be seen that the vertical shaft "i2 is divided into a plurality of sections with the adjacent spaced ends of these sections vconnected by means of the two-part coupler 36 which are lreys 38jwhich occupy longitudinal grooves formed in both the shaft ends and coupler sections. For the purpose offorining 'coupler elements of light construction and yet with sufficient strength to perform the wor-lr Tequired ofthe same, eiicumferentially eX-V tending arcuate lins 39 are formed on the outer lfaces ottliese coupler sections.V For the purpose of providingsupporting bear-V` ings for this vertical shaft, two-part cup shaped clamping elements 4G are employed and are retained in their assembled positions by means of the bolts 40a. Each of these inverted cup-shaped members are provided adapted for resting upon the topsurfaces ofL the transverse brace rods 14. Each of these sections forming the bearingrsupports are that are provided with annular shouli adapted for supporting the splitring 43, as'

best shown in liig. 3. The shaft sections are each provided' with a conical ring 44- which is secured thereto by anysuitable means, suoli as being shrunk thereupon, and are adapted for being positioned within annue lar Vrecesses formed by the ring sections 43.v

'llhe shaft sections l2 are further provided with externally threaded Yportions that are adapted for being employed in a inanner presently to be described. Positioned Within the cavity formed in one of the cupshaped bearing members 40 is a two ring;

anti-friction bearing member 46 that is provided with a beveled surface upon the inner face of the inner ring which is adapted for engaging the conical ring 44 secured to the shaft section l2.` Suitable ball bearings are positioned between the two rings of bearing meinber46. Threadedly connected to the upper edge of the two-part bearing support 40 is a ring 47 which is adapted for retaining the outer ring of the bearing.

member 43 in position againstthe ring 43.

Threadedly engaging the threads 45 formed on the shaft section l2 is a ring 48 which is adapted for forcing downwardly upon the innerV ring of the anti-friction bearing 146*V for the purpose of tightly wedging Vthe same upon the conical surface of the ring lin view of this structure, it must be considered thatthe shaft sections 12 each have rigidly associated therewith aY ring 44, an .inner ring of one of the bearings 46, and a ring 48.v kln other words, these various elements move with each of the shaft sections. The split rings 43 aid in supporting the vertical shaft by having thelower face of the yring-44 and the lower face of the inner ring of the bearing 46 in engagement therewith. It will bc seen by this construction, 'that'the shaft sections 12 Vwill be properly supported for preventing downward longitudinal movement of the same and for allowing freerotary movement thereof. f

The inverted r`cup-shaped turbine wheels 13 are formedintegrally at their upper ends with the web formations 49 that are lprovided withy asplit hub section 5() which is suitably keyed tol one of the shaft sections 12, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By inspecting Fig. 4, it will be seen that each inverted cup-shaped turbine wheel is formed in two partis and isvprovided with inwardly directed lugs 51 thatare adapted for receivi ing the clamping bolts 52 for thepurpose of connecting these two parts together to form a rigid construction. Suitably securedto the upper edge of the two sections forming the inverted cup-shaped turbine wheell are a pair of plate members?) that are adapted vfor resting upon the web formations 49 for substantially closing the upper end of theV sections forming the turbine wheel 13. By closely inspecting Fig.

"4, it will be seen that a transverse bracing rod 54 isprovided for coacting with the transverseV brace rods 14 and extends at right angles to-the same wit-hits opposite ends embedded inthe wall of the stack 5.

For the purpose of elevating the shaft sections constituting the vertical shaft 12 to allow the renewal or repairing of the various elements employed forY constituting the anti-friction supports for these shaft sections, a pair of screwl jack elements are mounted at their lower ends upon plates 56 adapted for bridging the space between the transverse brace rods 14, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. Located in proximity to the lower end ofeach shaft section, is an annular groove 57 that is formed in the said shaft sections and is adapted for being engaged by an annular rib l58 formed by the split clamping bars 59. The opposite ends 'of Vthese clamping bars 59 are suitably'recessed for providing vertically extending pockets adapted for receiving the one piece sleeve elements 60 vwhich, are provided for loosely encircling. the upper threaded ends v61 ofthe jacks 55, as best shown in Fig. .Threadedly engaging the ends 61 of the jacks Y are collars 62 that are adapted for engaging the lower` ends of the sleeves y Yfor theppurpose of raising upwardlyupon the clamping bars 59 whenthe said collars 62Y are rotated in the proper direction. Suitable ball'races and ball bearings are interposedbetween the ends of the sleeves 60 and collars 62 for allowing relative movement ybetween `the same.

When it is desired to move the section of shafting shown in the upper portion of Fig. 3 upwardly to relieve the weight from the two part coupler 36, the clamping bars 59 are tightened upon this shaft section for causing the annular ribk 58 to occupy the annular groove 57 lformed in the-said sec-y frtion. Then the collars 62 areproperly rotated for causing them to travel upwardly.

upon the threaded ends 61 of the jacks 55. lV hen the collars 62 have been rotated sufiie ciently for causing the clamping bars'59 to properly bearthe weight of the upper shaft section, the bolts 37 employed for clamping ythe sections together that form the coupler 36. are loosened slightly for allowing' a slight lateral play between the said sections forming the coupler 36. The eye-boltst'l carried by the upper ends of the chain sections 64 are then threaded into suitable openvide space for allowing the next lower sec-V tion of the shaft 12 to be elevated in the same manner as just described in connectionl with the uppersection. rlhis upward movement of the next lower shaft section will elevate the various elements employed for constituting the anti-friction support forv the said shaft so that the same will be moved upwardly out of transverse aline-` ment with the supporting bars 14. yThe Vclamping bolts 40a may then be loosened for allowing the cup-shaped4 casing elements 47 to be separated for allowing access to the various elements positioned therewithin; VIt is believed that the return of these shaft sections, coupler parts, and supporting elements to their normal *positions will be understood from the detail description just completed. It is, further, to be understoodthat when the turbine wheels 13 and vertical shaft 12 are operating for driving the Vhorizontal shaft 26 that the clamping bars 59 are suitablyI removed from the sections-,forming the shaft 12 for allowing relative movement between the same, the said clamping bars 59v and jacks 55 only being employed when the vertical shaft 12 is not in operation.

It is thought that the operation of this air propelled generator will be Aunderstood from the above detail description, and that the mode of Vassembling the various elements Y employed for constituting the same will also he understood. No further explanation of the same is, therefore, deemed necessary.

It is to be understood that the ,form of this linvention herewith shown and described is to be taken as apreferred eXamf ple of the same, and that various changes in Y scribed, a str-.cir

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repaired.' v Y 3. in a power generator of the class de-y invention, Y' claiinzl. ln a powergenerator ofthe class dehaving a bore, a, plurality oi trY nsversebrace roos positioned in borey ariano'ed' in spacer.. pairs with their ends connected to said stack, an anti-friction support inountcdnpon each pair of brace rods, a series of shaft sections joiirnaled in sait-L anti--iiction supports connected at their Vadj:ic-ent ends to torni a continuons shaft, a turbine wheel lreyed to each shaft section interposed betvree rods, a horiaontal shaft ournaled at tfie base oit said stach, means. tor operativeiy connecting said shafts, and means inoiintediipon each pair of? Vbrace rods and adapted to be connected to each shaft section for raising` the saineoii? its corresponding` anti-friction support to. allow the latter to bereplaced or repaired. I A 2. in a power generator of the class described, a tubular, vertical stack, a ertical shaft positioned within said stacir, a phiraiity Aof spaced supporting' niercbers positioned wi in the bore of saidV antirictioii connections between said shaft and the supporting` iA embers, and nieans'carried by veach ci? said supporting members for raising; chatt verticaiiy to perinit the i tion connecting members to be said antrfrA scribed, a tubular, vertical stack, a sectional, vertical shaft positioned within said stach, port carried by said stach for each section .id shaft, an inverted ci'ip-shapedturf bine whee. t

and means car d by each ot said supports Yand positioned within said inverted cupf shaped turbine '-.vheels for elevating said shaft section to permit alterations to be made to said generator. ce. in a pover generatorroi' the class described, a hoiiow stach, a plurality of transverselyetending brace rods positioned witlyin the bore otsaid stach, said brace rods ing` arranged in spaced pairs, ani anti-frio tion shaft VpairV oif brace rods, a vertical, sectional -shaitt positioned within said stack bore with each section of said shaft journaled, intermediate its ends, in one of said anti-fricton supports, an inverted cnn-shaped turbine wheel keyed tok each shaft section below the respective supports, and means carried by each pair of adjacent pairs oi brace ed by each shait section, vscrib d, a hollow stack, a plurality of brace support removably ca ried by eachl brace rods and adapted to be removably connected to one of said shaft sections for elevating the latter to permit the-antii'riction shaft support to be repaired.

5. ln a lpower generator of the class described, a hollowstaclr, aplurality of transversely extending brace rods positioned within the bore of said stack, said brace rods being arranged in spaced pairs, an anti-friction shaft support removably carried by each pair of brace rods, a vertical,'sectional shaft positioned within said stack bore with each section of said shaft journaled in one of said anti-friction supports, an inverted cupshaped turbine wheel keyed to eachV shaft section below the respective Supports, a pair ot jacks carried by each pair of brace rods, and means carried by each pair of jacks and adapted to be removably connected to one of sain shaft sections for elevating the latter to permit the anti-friction shaft supports tobe repaired.

6. In a power generator of the class described, a hollow stack, a plurality of transg versely extending` brace rods positioned with'- in the Vbore of said stack, said brace rods be-r ing arranged in spaced pairs, an anti-friction shaift support removably carried by each n r ot brace rods, a vertical, sectional shaftv oi brace rods, and a pair of clamping plates carried by each pair of 'jacks and adaptedV to be removably connected to one of said shaft sections for elevating the latter to per#y mit the anti-friction shaft support to be repaired. l c y K 7. in a power generator of the class derods positioned within the bore of said stack yand,arranged in spaced pairs, an .anti-friction shaft support carried by leach pair of brace rods, a vertical shaft Journaled in said anti-" .-tion support, said shaft consisting Yot .a l rality or sections and spliticouplers adapted to connect the adjacent ends of said shait sections, means carried by said pairs Yoli brace rodsforelevating the shaft sections tor 'permitting repairs to be made thereto,

and means vcarried by'said brace rods and adapt-ed to be removably connected to the split coupler parts for supporting` the same while detached from said shaft sections.

n testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

Josnrii roNKiEwioz. 

